Over the last few years emergence of products aimed at men has been seen as a key area to help strengthen global skin care sales. Afterall, if in general half the population shy away from a particular type of product, that’s a lot of sales gone missing.
Encouraging men to engage in a daily skin care regime has had differing levels of success across the globe, and also according to what “look” is de rigueur. Throughout the first decade of the 21st century preference in Europe has moved from the skin care sales-boosting look of David Beckham, to a more unadulterated, hirsute appearance currently.
A recent report suggest sales of men’s grooming products are still on the increase (though one or two others have indicated the opposite) with China and the UK leading the pack. This is an important time for the men’s grooming market because continued growth at this point would prove that its success isn’t necessarily determined by a fleeting fashion for clean-cut, smooth-skinned icons such as Beckham. If the market can still develop strongly while beards and a more unkempt look are in vogue for men, then that surely displays a definite underlying strength.
Perhaps the important thing to remember with men’s grooming products is that men are more driven by instant results than women are. There is an emotional attachment to certain products for men, but that does not, in most cases, outweigh the functional need. Ingredients that offer an actual or perceived immediacy to their results are consequently key to the continued growth of the men’s skin care market.
For this to happen it can’t just be a case of re-packaging an existing moisturiser and making the fragrance more appealing to a male market. The unique properties of men’s skin need to be addressed in these new products (smaller sebaceous glands, oily skin, thicker skin etc.) so that the products work effectively and the user experiences noticeable results more rapidly.
Asia has had considerable success in creating impetus within the men’s grooming sector, so the forthcoming in-cosmetics Asia 2011 in Bangkok will be a useful forum for companies globally to assess potential new ingredients for this sector.